Wildlife of Munnar !
Munnar is a picturesque scope of the lofty Western Ghats. Munnar first came into prominence as a favorite summer resort of the British government. The town of Munnar stands at the confluence of three mountain streams. Come to Munnar. Go trekking. Go boating. Go riding. Go angling. Or just laze about and fill your soul with peace in Munnar.

Munnar is one of the most naturally beautiful hill-stations in South India. It is located in the Western Ghats in the Eastern parts of Central Kerala and an adjoining part of Tamilnadu. The former, mainly in Devikulam Taluks of Idukki district, Kerala is usually known as the Kannan Devan hills or the High Ranges. The plantations in High Ranges are clustered around the town of Munnar (10 N 77 E) which is about 130 km from Cochin. Kodaikanal, another famous hill-station is just 90kms from Munnar.

Tea estates adds a heavenly charm to the serene landscape. These estates lie at elevations varying from about 1300m (4300 ft.) to 1900 m(6200 ft.) above mean sea level. Munnar is at about 1500 m (4300 ft.) above sea level. Some of the tea field sat 2100 m (7000 ft.), are among the highest in the world. The highest peak in South India - The Anamudi(2695 m/8841 ft.) - is situated in the High Ranges.

Spices of Munnar !
Munnar is a picturesque scope of the lofty Western Ghats. Munnar first came into prominence as a favorite summer resort of the British government. The town of Munnar stands at the confluence of three mountain streams. Come to Munnar. Go trekking. Go boating. Go riding. Go angling. Or just laze about and fill your soul with peace in Munnar.

Cardamom grown mainly in Kerala, Tamilnadu and Karnataka, on the shady slopes of the western Ghats. Warm humid climate, loamy soil rich in organic matter, distributed rainfall and special cultivation and processing methods all combine to make Indian cardamom truly unique in aroma, flavor, size and color tempting parrot-green. Indian cardamom is offered to the international markets in different grades: 'Alleppey Green Extra Bold' (AGEB), 'Alleppey Green Bold' (AGB) and 'Alleppey Green Superior' (AGS) are names that register instant appeal worldwide.

Accommodation Munnar Cardamom oil is a precious ingredient in food preparations, perfumery, health foods medicines and beverages. Indian cardamom enjoys a premium preference in the Middle East, by Japanese and Russians who relish it for its distinct enriching properties. This Queen of Spices is from the High Ranges of Kerala.Harvest season: October to February.

Pepper rightly called as the King Of Spices is one of the oldest and best-known spices in the world. India has always reigned supreme in the production and export of this. Pepper is probably the most widely used spice in the world today. Indian pepper had a profound influence on the European economy of the Middle Ages.

Two of the most celebrated trade varieties of Indian black pepper are 'Malabar Garbled' and 'Tellichery Extra Bold'. India also offers green pepper in several processed forms -frozen, dehydrated, freeze-dried and packed in brine. Pepper is a perennial climber requiring the support of live or dead standards. It has a limited usage in medicine, as a carminative and as a stimulant of gastric secretions.Important varieties: Pannier -1,Karimunda, Kuthiravally, Arakkulam Munda, Balankotta and Kalluvally.

Cinnamon bushy evergreen tree of the laurel family . The spice is light brown in Colour and has a delicately fragrant aroma and warm, sweet flavour. The Sri Lanka cultivator harvests his main crop in the wet season, cutting the shoots close to the ground. In processing, the shoots are first scraped with a semicircular blade, then rubbed with a brassard to loosen the bark, which is split with a knife and peeled. The peels are telescoped one into another forming a quill about 107 cm (42 inches) long and filled with trimmings of the same quality bark to maintain the cylindrical shape.

After four or five days of drying, the quills are rolled on a board to tighten the filling and then placed in subdued sunlight for further drying. Finally, they are bleached with sulfur dioxide and sorted into grades. Cinnamon contains from 0.5 to 1 percent essential oil, the principal component of which is cinnamical dehyde. The oil is distilled from the fragments for use in food, liqueur, perfume, and drugs. The aldehyde can also be synthesized.

Nut mug is the hard kernel of the seed of an evergreen tree, native to Moluccas. These are used in both savory and sweet dishes. Nutmeg has a warm flavor and affinity for rich foods. In Italy, it is used for filling pastas. In India these are used mainly in Moghul dishes. Arabs add it to Mutton and Lamb. Europeans use it extensively in sweet and savory dishes. Dutch recipes include nutmeg as a seasoning agent. In Indonesia, flesh of the fruit is used to make sweet meat.